Denial and Jealousy
by Azura Nyx
Summary: During a mission to retrieve a mineral to fuel the Destiny, Chloe learns of Eli's feelings for her.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Denial and Jealousy

**Author: **Azura Nyx

**Characters: **Eli Wallace, Dr. Nicholas Rush, Chloe Armstrong, Lieutenant Matthew Scott, Colonel Everett Young, 1 OMC and 2 OFC

**Pairings: **Chloe Armstrong/Eli Wallace, Lt. Matthew Scott/Chloe Armstrong (only one scene)

**Type: **Sci-Fi/Romance

**Length: **~4,230 words, 2 chapters + epilogue

**Warnings/Author's Notes: **There are spoilers for 'Light," and "Darkness." This is not a Chloe/Scott pairing friendly fanfic, although I don't berate Lt. Scott either. These characters do not belong to me because they are property of MGM.

**Rating: **PG-13 (language and very minor alcohol situations)

**Summary: **During a mission to retrieve a mineral to fuel the Destiny, Chloe learns of Eli's feelings for her.

_**Chapter 1**_

Destiny had been lacking sufficient power, and Dr. Nicholas Rush believed solar energy to be an adequate temporary means of obtaining fuel to run the spacecruiser. But the key term was, 'temporary.' So when Rush and Eli found a possible improved way of fueling the Destiny, you can imagine how they must have felt. They rushed to meet up with Colonel Everett Young in his office to notify him of their findings.

"Colonel, you're never going to believe this," Eli excitedly began.

Everett put down his writing utensil and leaned back in his chair, relaxed. "Tell me anyway," he responded.

Nicholas stepped into the conversation by explaining, "We may have found a substantial, better means to fuel this ship."

"Go on," the Colonel said.

"The mineral can be found on a planet's surface not too far from here. Its properties contain _everything _necessary to suitably and healthily run Destiny," Nick happily stated.

Young returned to the regular seated position, and then inquired, "And when you say, 'not too far' you mean…."

"I mean that using up some energy to go into hyperspace to acquire this source would be well worth it," Rush answered with a grin.

If the Colonel was going to send a team out to obtain the mineral, he was going to need more information. After all, letting people go on a strange mission to bring back a strange substance could turn out to be a disaster. "Are you sure it's worth that much of a risk? What is this mineral composed of?"

Eli and Rush glanced at each other in apprehension. "Well… it's made of the similar molecules of nitroglycerin," Wallace mentioned, shrugging his shoulders.

"Nitroglycerin," Everett uneasily said. "Isn't that-"

"…an explosive chemical compound? Yes," Nicholas hurriedly finished.

Eli further explained, "_But_… before you disregard the idea, Colonel, keep in mind that I said it is made up of the '_similar_ molecules' of nitroglycerin. Therefore, it won't blow up if we use it…well-it-shouldn't anyway."

Colonel Young didn't respond, or even imply what he could be thinking, for about 30 seconds. This made Dr. Rush nervous, and so he raised one eyebrow and curiously asked, "Colonel? What do you think?"

"I think" Young started. "…that we would be taking a great risk by allowing someone to go down to the planet's surface and obtain this mineral. Hell! After what Mr. Wallace so confidently said here, I don't even know if using this compound would be such a good idea."

Rolling his eyes, Eli frustratingly commented to Everett, "In all honesty, sir: I think this compound would be a tremendous help to the people aboard this vessel."

At this point, Nicholas thought they had lost the debate. So, he responded the best way he knew how in order to get the Colonel on their side, "Look. Eli's not entirely explaining the situation. If-"

"Oh! I think Eli is describing the situation quite well," Everett crossly said as he stood up from his chair. "I'm sorry to disappoint your pathetic, scientific asses, but I can't stress enough that I am _NOT _going to risk everybody's lives on this ship merely because the two of you want to do some experimenting with explosive compounds."

Nicholas retorted just as sternly and angrily when he said, "What you do not understand here, Colonel, is this compound may _save_ everyone's lives aboard this vessel, including yours. In case you haven't noticed, Destiny is running low on fuel _AGAIN _because the solar energy isn't cutting it. We need to find a substantial mineral to last us for a very long time or we're going to die in space. Is that a good enough reason for you, or do I need to make myself clearer here?"

Colonel Everett sneered at Rush's statement and sat back down in his chair. Frustration, anger, confusion- these were all of the emotions spinning through Young's head at the moment. He is trying to be a good leader, and he only wants to do what's best for all of the lives he now holds responsible. But what should he do- allow Nick and Eli to go down to the planet's surface and collect a mineral that could blow them all up, or go the safe route and possibly never find another substance capable of fueling the ship?

Taking a deep breath, Everett stated to Nicholas, "This isn't going to be easy for me to concede to, but I suppose I have no choice. I will allow Eli, Chloe and yourself to gate to the planet's surface. I don't want to travel through hyperspace when it's not obligatory."

"W-wait. Um…Chloe," a puzzled Eli inquired. "Don't take this the wrong way, sir, but… why her? She's never been off-world before."

"First of all, she had requested to go on any vacant, available missions should there be any. Secondly, questioning my decisions is not the wisest of things to do, so I would get out of that habit real quick."

"Right. Sorry," Wallace nervously answered.

As Eli and Rush were walking down the corridors heading back to the labs, Nicholas asked Eli, "What was that all about?"

"What?"

"Don't play coy with me. You know very well 'what.'"

Wallace became extremely confused. His eyebrows slightly lifted in utter puzzlement when he said, "Uh…_no_, I don't."

Dr. Rush stopped walking any further- making Eli abruptly stop as well. "Why did you question the Colonel's decision to allow Chloe to come with us on the mission?"

"I-I don't know. I just thought it was strange he chose her out of the clear blue sky when he could have sent anyone else who has military training. Why?"

"You have been awfully concerned about that young woman, haven't you," Nicholas said as he and Eli continued walking to the labs.

"If you mean as just friends, then sure," replied Eli.

"No, that's not what I mean."

"Then no, I haven't been concerned for her safety in that regard, Nick," Wallace crossly said. He peered down to the floor for a few seconds and mumbled, "She's with that military macho man anyhow."

"What was that," Dr. Rush inquired.

Eli rolled his eyes and commented in agitation, "Nothing, Rush- Look! Why are you making this such a big deal, huh?"

"Why are you getting angry over it," Nick keenly inquired back.

"Because you- well… you're…," Wallace stumbled in an attempt to say something logical.

A smirk now appeared across Rush's lips. "Yes," he asked.

"Just… never mind, alright? I prefer not to talk about it."

After they arrived in the labs, Nicholas re-started the conversation by saying, "There's nothing wrong with the feelings you have for her. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah… okay," Eli responded in disbelief.

"Why? Do you think it's unnatural to have feelings for a woman who, supposedly, loves someone else?"

"N-no. It's just Chloe will never care for me the way I do for her. Every _goddamn_ day I see her sitting with Matthew in the cafeteria, and not _once_ does she greet or take notice of me when she's around him. Besides, I can't tell you the various times I see them kissing in the hallway."

"And that makes you jealous, yes?"

Eli felt a bit like he was caught off-guard with that particular inquiry. Nicholas was right on about Eli's emotions, and Wallace couldn't help but to feel a little strange talking about love trouble with a man he recently met. However, Eli thought that perhaps he needed to get these feelings off of his chest, so although nervously, he replied, "Yeah. It does."

"Eli, you don't need to feel less important because Chloe doesn't recognize your feelings for her at the moment. Give it time. She'll come around," Rush kindly advised.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just know."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

It had been a few hours later until Dr. Rush, Eli and Chloe were finally able to gate down to the planet's surface. After all, Colonel Young had to get full approval from the Pentagon before allowing them to acquire the mineral and that took an hour and a half right there. The other thirty minutes was taken up by Nick, Chloe and Eli getting suitably dressed for the type of atmosphere they would soon be in.

Once they arrived to the gate room, they found Lieutenant Matthew Scott awaiting them. He wasn't in full gear, so it was fair to assume that he was there only to say good-bye to Chloe. When Ms. Armstrong realized Matthew was waiting for her she smiled and ran towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist in a sweet embrace.

"It's not too late to back off from this mission, you know," Lt. Scott whispered into Chloe's ear. "Someone else could go."

"No, I want to do this," she whispered back. "You're the one who taught me to be brave."

Matthew pulled back and kissed Chloe on the lips. Eli was clearly very agitated by this because he impatiently looked down to the floor.

"I hate to break up this little love-fest here but if you're coming with us, we need to leave now," Eli callously remarked to Chloe. Rush briefly glanced over toward Eli and shrewdly grinned at Wallace's statement that was obviously full of jealousy. The lieutenant and Chloe broke from their kiss, and Nick and Eli walked into the stargate.

"Take care," Matthew said to Chloe.

"You too," she responded, and then she stepped through the gate.

Much to their surprise, the planet's surface appeared to be quite prosperous; trees everywhere, green grass, and quite a few areas of cultivation.

"Wait a sec. There are plants and various crops here. So, doesn't that mean there's a civilization of people on this planet, as well," inferred Eli.

"Yes. That would be a reasonable explanation," Rush answered. "Perhaps we should explore around for a while."

"And what _if _there are people here," inquired Chloe.

Eli looked at Chloe and boldly asked her, "What are you saying?"

"I'm _saying _that we can't just waltz into someone's lives and take their stuff. We should…I don't know… trade or something," reasoned Ms. Armstrong.

"Oh, right! Because we have an _abundance _of things to trade," sarcastically commented Wallace. Instead of retorting Eli's comment, Chloe just contemptuously rolled her eyes.

"Good Lord," Nicholas expressed. "Are you two supposed to be adults or what? We don't have a lot of time to find this substance, and the both of you are squabbling like children."

"Sorry," Chloe and Eli nearly simultaneously apologized.

"Now like I said, we need to investigate the area a little. If we happen to come across a human civilization, I can contact Colonel Young on the Destiny and see what negotiation agreements, if any, we can provide them in return for the mineral."

After an hour of wandering about the planet, Dr. Rush, Eli and Chloe found the substance at last. However, they also found the society of people they had speculated lived there. These people were dressed in English medieval clothing, and didn't give the three visitors from the Destiny a very warm welcome at first.

"What brought you here," aggressively inquired one man. He was pointing a gun at them, and appeared as though he wouldn't have any trouble killing them if necessary. This man was tall and scruffy in the face- fearsome looking at first glance.

"We're just peaceful people wanting to trade," Dr. Rush answered.

"Trade? What could you possibly have to offer us," the man amusedly said.

Eli nervously shifted and mentioned, "A lot, actually."

The man abruptly turned his focus to Eli, and began walking toward him. This made Wallace even tenser because he had no clue what this strange, fierce-looking man was capable of.

"Is that so," the fierce one skeptically inquired. "Like what?"

"Uh…well…," Eli muttered as he helplessly glanced over at Nicholas.

"We have zero-point modules," Rush offered. "I'm sure it would be no trouble to obtain one from our spacecraft to trade for a mineral we greatly desire."

The scruffy, rugged-looking man peered back at his fellow comrades, and then back at Eli, Chloe and Nick. "Perhaps we should take you to our Queen for further discussion on this matter. We'll let her decide if any deal or alliance is feasible. This way," the rugged, fierce man said.

Once the scruffy-looking man had successfully led Eli, Chloe and Rush to the Queen, who was sitting upon her jeweled decorated throne, a guard ordered them, "Kneel before the Queen." The visitors from the Destiny did so in respect, and then the Queen stepped off of her throne and began walking around them in circles. She was pretty- they had to give her that. The Queen wore a beautiful, purple gown and her face was painted white. The only part of her face that wasn't white was her lips for they were painted a red color. All of the colors she was wearing represented something; the purple symbolized royalty, the white meant purity and the red signifying power.

"You're not from here," the Queen observed.

"No, we're not," responded Nicholas. "We're from a planet called Earth in the Milky Way galaxy, but we currently reside in a space cruiser known as the Destiny."

The Queen stood in front of Rush and looked down at him. "I see," she promptly answered. "And why are you here?"

"We would like to make an alliance between our people and yours. Also, we're here to trade," Nicholas replied.

"Hmm… and what could _you _have to offer? You three don't look like you would have anything we could want," the Queen inferred. "You just look like ordinary, horribly clothed travelers to me."

Eli leaned over towards Chloe and sarcastically mumbled, "She's saying _we're _horribly clothed?"

The Queen immediately turned her attention to Eli. "Silence," she fervently ordered. "I'm hoping you are not underestimating the circumstance," she began. "It would be a shame to have to not only relinquish all possibilities of an alliance, but to send you three to the guillotine. I would greatly despise having to explain your deaths to your superiors."

"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highness," Dr. Rush began. He punishingly looked over at Eli and said, "_Some _people just don't know how to show some respect."

"Hmm…right," the Queen started as she walked back to her throne and sat down in it. "So, because I am a merciful Queen I will listen to your plea and what you have to offer. What is it you wish to trade for?"

"Our space cruiser is running low on fuel. Using our technology, we found a mineral you have that may be a perfect, long lasting substitute for what we are currently using. It has the same products as nitroglycerin, I believe. And it is a black color from what I understand. We have a zero-point module, or ZPM, that I think could be a suitable trade. Also, you will have our alliance in battle should you need it."

"Yes, well. What you are suggesting appears to be… suitable- you're right. My people are also in need of a power source to put up a defense shield. Therefore, yes we will trade and our alliance shall come to pass, so I believe this calls for a celebration."

Night had fallen and the dancing, music entertainment and drinking had begun. Eli, Rush and Chloe were at the bar, drinking a glass of an alcoholic beverage they had never tasted before. It had an unusual kick to it.

"Damn," Nicholas happily exclaimed. "Maybe we should have traded the ZPM for this stuff instead, yeah?"

Eli and Chloe laughed at Dr. Rush's statement. "Whatever they had put in this stuff is really different," Eli responded with a grin.

"It is dandelion," a beautiful young woman, no older than 23 years old, replied to Eli's statement.

Wallace turned around, smiled and said, "Oh, really? I would have guessed it was a mix of beer and ambrosia."

The young woman grinned widely and commented, "So I hear you're the talk of the town. But they never mention your name."

"Oh," Eli began, holding out his hand. "I'm Eli Wallace. You are…."

"Alaina Bradshaw," the woman answered as she shook his hand.

"Alaina, huh? Beautiful name," Eli said. He couldn't believe he was actually being a little flirtatious, but this woman was quite pretty after all.

Alaina blushed. Obviously she was quite taken by him. "Would you like to dance with me?"

"Of course," Eli happily conceded. He got up from the chair, twirled Alaina around in a full circle and put one hand on her waist, and then cupped her hand in his free one.

Nicholas looked at the two of them dancing, and then glanced at Chloe. At first, she didn't seem to mind that Eli was dancing with another woman. However, it soon became obvious that she did mind. Eli was appearing to have a good time; smiling widely, laughing, and he even looked like he was flirting with Alaina a bit. And that insistently bothered Chloe.

"Excuse me," Chloe said to Dr. Rush. "I need some fresh air. The alcohol is really getting to me."

"Alright," Nick unbelievingly responded.

After Ms. Armstrong had been outside the tent for nearly ten minutes, Nicholas decided to head out as well and talk to her.

"Is everything alright," Dr. Rush asked as he lit up a cigarette. He took in a puff, and then tranquilly exhaled the smoke. "You've been out here for ten minutes," he continued.

Chloe abruptly wiped the tears from her face, and then turned around to face Nicholas. "Yeah. Everything's fine," she brightly said. "Why do you ask?"

"No. Everything's not okay. I can sense it." Chloe had peered down at the floor in frustration. She really didn't want to have this conversation right now. "It's Eli, isn't it?"

Almost instantly, Chloe looked up at Nicholas and said, "_W-what_?! N-no, not at all!"

"It is. And you're feeling guilty that you never told him about your feelings before getting involved with Matthew. I know because he feels the same way about you."

"He wouldn't-"

"Yes, he would," Rush tenaciously interrupted Chloe.

"How could you know anyway," Ms. Armstrong crossly inquired.

"Besides the way he looks at you? Well, I probably shouldn't say, but he told me."

"I doubt that. He barely knows you, so I can't believe he would be _that _open about his feelings."

"How long are you going to doubt the truth when it's right in front of you?"

"Just go away, Rush," Chloe pleaded.

"Alright. Fine. But it's not going to change the fact that I'm right," Nick replied as he went back into the tent.

Another ten minutes passed and Eli came rushing out of the tent, red in the face from all of the excitement. "Oh, man," he exclaimed. "What a party, huh? So, how come I don't see _you _dancing in there?"

"Oh. I…don't dance," Chloe blandly replied.

"Pfft! Yeah, right! Anyone can dance. C'mon," Wallace said, gently grabbing Chloe by the wrist.

Armstrong pulled her arm away and Eli remorsefully peered up at her- lost for words.

"What part of 'I don't dance' do you _not _understand, Eli?"

"Hey! I'm sorry," Eli ruefully said. "What's up?"

Chloe shot Eli a negative look, and then commented, "What makes you think there's anything wrong? Why? Do you think that just because I don't want to dance that something's _wrong _with me?"

"Well," Eli began. "It's more about your attitude than you not wanting to dance." Having her back face Eli, she decided not to say anything in response to his statement. "Oh, I get it," he continued.

"What?"

"I never thought I would ever say this, but…," Eli said as he walked up to her to face her. "You're jealous."

Chloe laughed mockingly and said, "That's the most _absurd _thing I've ever heard. Why would I be jealous when I'm with Matthew, hmm?"

"Why would you be standing out here feeling angry and pissed off if you weren't?" When Chloe didn't say anything about this, Eli continued, "I'm not saying for you to break up with Matthew. It's just that…I do love you. And I feel very comfortable and close to you even as friends. I'm sorry to agitate you, so I'll head back into the tent."

She turned around to respond to Eli, but when she did he was already gone. So, Chloe walked back into the tent, and ardently searched for Eli. When she found him at last, he was at the bar talking to Nick. Chloe walked up behind Eli and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey," Eli began. "Decided to join us?" Chloe pulled Eli toward her and passionately kissed him on the lips. Everyone in the tent cheered and smiled, including Dr. Rush. "Whoa," a very astonished Eli exclaimed. "That was…."

"I'm sorry, Eli," Chloe said. "You were right."

"I…um… I was," he asked, still in shock from the kiss.

"Yeah. I do love you, and it bothered me to hell that you danced with that Lana girl."

"Alaina," Eli corrected.

"Eli, don't ruin the moment," Chloe said.

"S-sorry."

The next morning, Rush, Eli and Chloe said their good-byes to the people, grabbed the mineral and gave them the ZPM. It was a shame to have to leave so soon, especially because the night before had been great.

Not only did the visitors get what they needed, but new friends were made as well. If that wasn't an accomplishment, then what was? With some reluctance, Nicholas, Chloe and Eli stepped through the stargate and landed in the Destiny.


	3. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

A week had passed since the mission to retrieve the mineral. During that time, Eli and Dr. Rush were able to strip the substance of its negative, explosive properties and use it as fuel for the Destiny. And it worked rather well! In fact, the mineral appeared to make the ship run, if anything, a lot smoother than before.

"So how's the Lieutenant," Eli asked Chloe as they waited in line for their food ration.

Chloe briefly looked at Eli from behind her and replied, "I haven't heard much from him since we got back. Why?"

"Oh. I was just…wondering. I haven't seen him around, so I wanted to know what you did to scare him off," Wallace jokingly commented.

Ms. Armstrong gave a nervous laugh. "Actually, I think I did repel him away from me," she said. "I told him that I couldn't be with him anymore."

"Is that so," a surprised Eli inquired. "Erm… if it's for the reason I think it is, you didn't need to do that."

"There's no sense in being with someone I don't love anymore," Chloe logically explained, shrugging her shoulders. "After we came back from the mission, well… I kind of realized, thanks to Dr. Rush, that I have feelings for someone else."

A confused look grew upon Eli's face. "Dr. Rush? What… does… he have to do with…."

"He never told you," Chloe astonishingly remarked. Eli shook his head, apprehensive of what was going to be said next. Ms. Armstrong leaned in closer to Eli and whispered in his ear, "Rush told me about your feelings for me."

Pulling away in utter shock, Eli angrily exclaimed, "_What?! That DUMB, STUPID, POMPOUS_-"

Wallace was about to leave to wring Nicholas's neck when Chloe ran to keep up with him, "Eli, really. It's okay. There was no harm in what he told me."

"_NO_, it's _not _okay, Chloe. I confided in him and he was idiotic enough to say something. Ooo… when I'm through with him, he'll wish he hadn't been born."

"Something wrong, Eli," Rush inquired.

Eli looked behind him and found Nick standing there. "_No._ _NO, _everything's _NOT _okay! You_ told _Chloe that I was in love with her _after _I confided in you about it. Don't you have _any _sense of confidentiality,_" _Eli frantically commented.

Dr. Rush didn't say anything in response to Eli's irate statement at first. Instead, he crossed his arms and smiled widely.

"Wait. You-You _wanted _her to know, didn't you?"

"That's right," Nicholas proudly answered.

Wallace angrily stared at Rush and replied, "And you didn't let me tell her myself because _why _exactly?"

"Because you _wouldn't _have told her, Eli. You were too nervous given the fact she was already with someone else. So… I gave you a little nudge."

"So, _everything _I did; going on that mission, dancing with that Alaina woman… that was all a ploy?"

"Well…not _exactly_," Dr. Rush began. "We did need the mineral, but I thought it was the perfect opportunity to…uh… set you up."

"And the discussion and argument you had with Dr. Young?"

"That was a trick, yes," Nick answered.

Eli found himself speechless for nearly a minute. He wasn't sure if he should attack or thank Rush. After all, Wallace _was _grateful that Chloe finally took notice of him, but he didn't like the idea of being set up for that to happen. Eli wanted a more…natural way of asking her out.

"Well…thank-you, Rush," Eli said as he and Chloe began walking back to the cafeteria.

Nicholas grinned once more and responded, "Think nothing of it."


End file.
